Junpei
by Dark Lord of the Fallen Angels
Summary: He changed. He's no more a man, but a child.


"Tell me again Sasuke, tell me about it again." It hurt to look at him, a dopish smile, unfocused eyes. He wasn't there, not completely. It hurt Sasuke to look at him, settled on his knees with a too big sweeter with too long sleeves. Eyes dimly focused on his nose, as the body settled next to his sitting position on the bed.

"Why should I?" He said this with a softer tone. Not his usual exasperated teasing, just a soft tone with hard eyes.

"Be-beca-cause we, um us, are uh… We're friends!" Sasuke's eyes widened at the proclamation. He didn't expect those words to leave the mouth of the blond. It hurt to know that the 'real' blond was gone, only a childish shell left behind.

"I don't think that is a valid point." He only slightly shifted his head to get a better view at the figure next to him through black tresses. He was waiting for a response, from the real one. Naruto's true self rarely makes an appearance, but when it does it doesn't last long.

"But…..S'ske!" It seems today was just not one of those days. Sasuke continued to peer through his hair at Naruto. Finally after a minute Sasuke fell back onto the hard bed. He glared at the ceiling like it was to blame for all the suffering of the man next to him. "S'ske?" His face softened hearing the small inquisitive voice. Turning towards Naruto, Sasuke closes eyes and gives in.

"Once in a land long, long ago there was a little peasant boy. No one loved him, so he was all alone." Sasuke's voice caught in his throat. "The little peasant boy lived alone in a rickety shed, no one bothered him in his shed."

"And? And! There was an evil fox!"

"Yes, yes but he won't come 'til a little later…" Continuing on with the story, Sasuke opens his eyes and melancholically watches Naruto. "Even though his shed was untouched villagers would abuse him any chance they got. Every time the boy left his humble abode he was attacked." Naruto watched him with unsteady eyes, he wasn't completely there, he hasn't been for a while. Sasuke and everyone else knew this, but it was still taxing to see Naruto like this when hope kept bringing Sasuke back to visit. No one really comes to visit Naruto anymore, there wasn't a point anymore. The man they wanted to see was replaced with a child. "One day a fox came to his home."

"But the fox was evil! Right Sasuke? Right!" Naruto heard this story many times, he loved it with all that was left of him.

"Mhmm, you know the story well Naruto why don't you tell it?" Naruto bent down so he was face to face with Sasuke, a serious look settled upon it. These were the few times Naruto's eyes would slightly focus.

"Because S'ske, S'ske has too!"

"Okay, okay." Sasuke put a hand on Naruto's cheek letting it fall a second later. Watching Naruto settle down into a lying position he continues on, "The fox entered the shed, he sneaked through the large crack in the window. The small creature crept up on the small slumbering figure." Naruto tilted his head at that. "It was a dark night in the middle of september, the weather in fire country gaining a slight chill. The fatigued child didn't notice the fox bumping and sniffing his head with its nuzzle. The boy, Junpei, was small and had a frail body."

"What does frail mean again?"

"I'll tell you later, for now enjoy the story." Naruto nodded his head at those words and shifted his body closer to Sasuke's. "After more nuzzling and without a response, the fox bit the boy. The bite startled him awake. With a confused look Junpei asked-"

"Who are your little one!"

Sasuke's mouth tilted upward at the loud proclamation. "So you remembered."

"Naruto always remembers Sasuke!"

"Is that right now?"

"Mhmm!" Naruto gave him a large dopey grin, causing Sasuke to chuckle at his ridiculousness.

"The fox was named Akuma by the lonely boy. Finally gaining a friend the boy picked up Akuma and snuggled him into his chest. He was so happy he ran out of his hut laughing and spinning with Akuma in his arms."

"S'ske why did you name the fox Akuma?"

"Because that's what all the villagers called Junpei so he named the fox after himself."

"S'-"

Before Naruto could finish saying the name the door was opened. The slight creak caught the boy's attention, he was excited for the prospect of gaining another friend. Only to be saddened when seeing a nurse in standardized scrubs. Seeing the nurse Sasuke knew his time here was overdue, and said a small goodbye to Naruto. With that he got off the bed, and walked towards the door, giving the nurse a small greeting he turned around and gave Naruto a small smile. He continued his departure from the mental ward towards the middle of the hospital to meet up with Sakura.

When the door closed and the dark figure disappeared in the halls, the averaged sized woman continued forward. She went to Naruto and routinely checked his vitals before asking about his day.

Hearing the question Naruto perked up and gaily told his tale, making wild gestures to emphasise on certain events, even though the story wasn't much and was repeated from the previous day... week…. month….. _year_ …..

Continuing on, when he reached the part with Sasuke he became slightly depressed, because as usual Sasuke hadn't finished telling the story. He never heard the end, the farthest Naruto ever heard was a little more than half way.


End file.
